TOXICOLOGY

CH153
Q3 AY2021

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Toxicology
Toxicology is the science of poisons.
Quantity and variety
of chemicals All substances are poisons; there is none which is
not a poison. The right dose differentiates a
poison and a remedy.
- Paracelsus, 1500s
the way the way the effects methods to
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toxicants toxicants of toxicants prevent or
enter are on reduce the
biological eliminated biological entry of
organisms from organisms toxicants
biological into
organisms biological
organisms

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Toxicology defined
There are no harmless substances, only harmless ways of using substances.
Toxicology is the qualitative and quantitative
study of the adverse effects of toxicants on
biological organisms.
Toxicity
• a property of the agent describing its effect on biological
organisms

Toxic Hazard
• the likelihood of damage to biological organisms based on
exposure resulting from transport and other physical factors
of usage

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How Toxicants Enter Biological Organisms

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How Toxicants Enter Biological Organisms
Entry Route Remarks Method for Control
Ingestion Enforcement of rules on
(Mouth or • Modified and excreted in bile eating, drinking and
Stomach) smoking
• Most significant to industrial facilities
Ventilation, respirators,
Inhalation • Easiest to quantify
hoods and other
(Mouth or Nose) • Result in the toxicant entering the
bloodstream unaltered
PPEs

• Result in the toxicant entering the

Injection Proper protective
bloodstream unaltered
(Cuts on the Skin) clothing
• Difficult to measure and quantify

• Most significant to industrial facilities

Dermal Absorption • Result in the toxicant entering the Proper protective
(Skin) bloodstream unaltered clothing
• Difficult to measure and quantify
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How Toxicants Enter Biological Organisms

Toxic blood level

concentration as a
function of route
exposure

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How Toxicants Enter Biological Organisms

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How Toxicants are Eliminated from Biological Organisms

Excretion Detoxification Storage

• kidney • biotransformation • fatty tissue

• liver • bones
• lungs • liver
• other organs • kidney

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 Effects of Toxicants on Biological Organisms

IRREVERSIBLE EFFECTS MAY OR MAY NOT BE REVERSIBLE

Carcinogen causes cancer Dermatotoxic affects skin
Mutagen causes chromosome Hemotoxic affects the blood
damage Hepatotoxic affects the liver
Reproductive causes damage to Nephrotoxic affects the kidneys
Hazard the reproductive Neurotoxic affects the nervous
system system
Teratogen causes birth defects Pulmonotoxic affects the lungs

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END OF THIS PART

CH153
Q3 AY2021

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